The Feminist Duration Reading Group focuses on under-known and under-appreciated feminist texts, movements and struggles from outside the Anglo-American canon. The group has developed a practice of reading out loud, together, one paragraph at a time, with the aim of creating a sense of connection and intimacy during meetings.

The group was established in March 2015 by Helena Reckitt, at Goldsmiths, University of London and relocated in July 2015 to SPACE in Hackney, East London where it was hosted until April 2019. From June 2019 to February 2020 the group began a residency at the South London Gallery focused on intersectional feminisms in the UK context (a planned year-long programme that was moved online due to COVID-19).

FDRG sessions have been organised with Emilia-Amalia at Art Metropole in Toronto; in London at the Barbican Art Centre, Mimosa House, AntiUniversity, and as part of The Table at the Swiss Church; and elsewhere in the UK at Grand Union, Birmingham, De La Warr Pavilion, Bexhill-on-Sea, and Hypatia Trust, Penzance. A sister group, NW FDRG, was set up in Liverpool by Kezia Davies in 2019.

Under usual conditions the group meets once a month, alternately on the second Wednesday of the month at 7pm at the South London Gallery, and the second Saturday of the month at 4pm a non-institutional venue. In the context of the COVID pandemic group activities have been moved online.

The FDRG welcomes feminists of all genders and generations to explore the legacy and resonance of art, thinking and collective practice from earlier periods of feminism, in dialogue with contemporary practices and movements.

• Reckitt, Helena. 2017. Generating Feminisms: Italian Feminisms and the “Now You Can Go” Program. Art Journal, 76(3-4), pp. 101-111. ISSN 0004-3249 [Article]

Working Group:

FDRG activities are initiated by a Working Group. Current members are: Giulia Antonioli, Angelica Bollettinari, Beth Bramich, Lina Džuverović, Lily Evans-Hill, Sabrina Fuller, Haley Ha, Taey Iohe, Mariana Lemos, Katrin Lock, Ceren Özpinar, Sara Paiola, Helena Reckitt, and Ehryn Torrell.

Former Working Group members include Félicie Kertudo, Justin Seng, and Fiona Townend.

Former sessions:

FDRG sessions have been led by Giulia Antonioli, Diana Baker Smith, Beth Bramich, Giulia Casalini, Laura Castagnini, Morgane Conti, Cinzia Cremona, Giulia Damiani, Kezia Davies, Flora Dunster, Lina Džuverović, Lily Evans-Hall, Lynne Friedli, Sabrina Fuller, Diana Georgiou, Rose Gibbs, Valeria Graziano, Laura Guy, Haley Ha, Jacqueline Hoàng Nguyễn, Félicie Kertudo, Alexandra Kokoli, Marianna Lemos, Jet Moon, Gabby Moser, Roisin O’Sullivan, Ceren Özpinar, Sara Paiola, Helena Reckitt, Irene Revell, Lidia Salvatori, Elif Sarican, Justin Seng, and Cecilia Sosa.

https://research.gold.ac.uk/id/eprint/29773